Davao City Mayor and vice-presidential aspirant Sara Duterte now helms two political parties, one national and one regional.

After accepting the party chairmanship of Lakas-CMD on Thursday, November 18, she rejoined Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) then resumed chairmanship of the same on Friday.

“Mayor Sara’s re-appointment as our Chairperson became possible as both parties’ Constitution and By-Laws do not prohibit membership and appointment as officer, since HNP is a regional political party,” said HNP secretary-general Anthony del Rosario.

HNP is a regional party founded by Sara in 2018, in the lead-up to the 2019 national elections in which she endorsed a senatorial slate, apart from fielding local candidates in the Davao region.

On November 11, the same day she withdrew her Davao City mayoral candidacy, Sara left HNP and joined Lakas-CMD. A little over a week later, she is chairperson of both parties.

HNP supports Marcos’ presidential bid

HNP is composed of Davao region governors and other local officials.

“I am happy to be home and back into the fold of our beloved Hugpong ng Pagbabago as its Chairperson,” said Sara in a statement on Friday.

“I call on my HNP colleagues to forge on and build the strongest region we can ever be, in devoted service to the Filipino people,” she added.

HNP is now supporting the presidential bid of Ferdinand Marcos Jr., whose running mate is Sara, Del Rosario told Rappler. Lakas-CMD is also rallying behind Marcos.

Marcos is running under the banner of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP). This means that the Marcos-Duterte tandem now has two national political parties and one regional party officially backing them. – Rappler.com